Road funding plan gets support from Lenawee manager

A plan to increase Michigan road funding announced Thursday by state House leaders was called a “great start” Friday by Scott Merillat, Lenawee County Road Commission managing director.

“They’ve been talking about it, and talking about it, and talking a­bout it. It’s good to see something finally proposed,” Merillat said.

The plan announced by House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, is to provide at least $500 million more to Michigan roads by 2018, in part by replacing taxes on fuel sales at the pump with a new 6 percent wholesale tax.

“While this may not be everything everyone wanted, I believe this is a great start. It’s time to put a plan in place and deliver action to Michigan drivers,” Bolger stated.

Merillat said he hopes the plan will receive serious consideration for what it can do rather than drawing immediate criticism for what it does not do.

“After years of studies, special reports and stalemates, the speaker’s emphasis on action is welcome. We are pleased to see this issue moved off dead center,” Merillat said in an email statement.

“Speaker Bolger acknowledged that while this package of bills is not the total funding solution, it is an important first start,” said Merillat. “Increased investment from Lansing will help us better serve our residents who are experiencing real damage to their vehicles caused by the crumbling road system.”

At a board meeting on March 20, Lenawee County road commissioners were critical of a potential ballot proposal to raise the state’s 6 percent sales tax as a road funding solution. Such an issue should be decided by legislators after a thorough evaluation of issues rather than put on a ballot, they said.

Road commissioner Robert Emery said Thursday he is not opposed to letting voters have a say on taxes. But fixing the state’s road funding crisis is the responsibility of elected representatives, he said.

The system of funding roads in Michigan is too complicated to leave a major change up to a single up or down vote on a ballot proposal, said board chairman Stanley Wilson.

“People just don’t have enough information on where the money comes from,” he said.

“If they vote no, then where do you go?” Emery said. Legislators will be inclined to continue putting off work on fixing the problem if they can say that’s what voters want, he said.

The board also reviewed a campaign started by the County Road Association of Michigan seeking public support for increased road funding. The campaign, called “Local Roads Matter,” includes Internet videos focusing on the importance of roads to schools, emergency responders, farmers and business as well as the general public.

“We’re trying to get out that to do nothing doesn’t save money,” Merillat said. A driver would spend more to replace a single tire ruined on a bad road, he said, than in increased fuel taxes for a year to repair roads.